Royals’ stars get sneak peek at next level

NHL development camps, held annually around the first week of July, are the entry-level auditions for pro hockey.

Of this year’s Victoria Royals contingent, defenceman Scott Walford got to Montreal’s camp as a 2017 third-round draft pick of the Canadiens, forwards Matthew Phillips and Tyler Soy as 2016 selections of the Calgary Flames and Anaheim Ducks, and goaltender Griffen Outhouse and defenceman and graduated 2016-17 Royals captain Ryan Gagnon as free-agent invitees by the Las Vegas Golden Knights and Arizona Coyotes, respectively.

While Phillips and Soy are each in their second go-arounds in the Flames and Ducks camps, this is all new for Walford, Outhouse and Gagnon.

“I feel like I am 16 all over again in Royals rookie camp,” quipped Walford, by phone from Montreal.

But it’s not that anymore. This is the next level.

“The players are so much bigger and faster,” he said.

Outhouse, meanwhile, stepped into 44 C temperatures in Sin City late last week.

“I’m not used to that,” he said, after arriving back home to Williams Lake.

That wasn’t the only thing to which the Royals creaseman wasn’t accustomed.

“It was quite a step to take. Everyone can shoot the puck. It’s really fast hockey,” said Outhouse.

“You can tell who are the guys who have already had a year of pro in the AHL or ECHL.”

Each young player learns something about himself.

“I was all right [in the Golden Knights development camp] but I know I have more to offer,” said Outhouse, a 19-year-old, entering his third season with Victoria.

Many believe Outhouse was overlooked in the draft because he is six-foot in an era in which many NHL teams won’t even consider a goaltender under six-foot-two.

“I can’t worry about things I can’t control,” said Outhouse.

“Obviously, they like the sixfoot-four goalies. But hockey is opening up more now to smaller forwards and maybe that will happen for goalies, too. You see now with some players coming in later to the pros out of the NCAA, that extra time helps you develop. Technically, I have to be more patient at this [pro] level and not go down to my knees as early and leave the top part of the net exposed. The flip side, however, is that I leave less room to find the five-hole between the legs than a taller goalie might.”

Royals blue-liner Walford said he has always looked to pass first before taking a shot himself, but has found a new perspective in skating this week in Montreal with the other young Canadiens prospects. Expect to see more self-serve from the 18-year-old next season in Victoria.

“These players here in camp take chances. You can be too unselfish sometimes,” added the six-foot-two Walford.

“The biggest thing I’ve learned in camp is to take more chances. You don’t want to be selfish, but you want to take those chances when you get them.”

Gagnon, meanwhile, graduated this spring after five diligent seasons guarding the Victoria zone, and his first career pro-camp invite was a fitting late bonus perk offered to the 21-year-old by the Coyotes.

“It was eye-opening . . . they teach you so much off-ice as well, such as finances and nutrition,” said Gagnon.

“But the Coyotes have drafted a lot of defencemen lately and told me I won’t be attending their rookie camp in September. It’s disappointing, but that’s part of the business.”

The departing Royals captain will likely play U Sports next season for the University of Calgary Dinos. He has five years of postsecondary tuition owed him under the WHL’s education plan. Get an education first, he said, because “the AHL and ECHL will always be there” if he wants to pursue a pro career after U Sports.